Tuscan Adventures: A Trip To Castello di Albola!

I had the opportunity this spring to visit Tuscany with Zonin Wines! It was an incredible trip filled with food and a lot of great wine. Zonin has a lot of lands all over Italy, so we stuck to Chianti and Maremma on this trip.

Castello di Albola (Cass-tell-oh dal-bo-lah) is the name of the castle in the village of Albola. This property is situated only 30 minutes outside of Siena, in the commune of Radda in Chianti. The vineyards are stunning, located at the highest elevation in the Chianti Classico DOCG appellation. The weather conditions here are great for growing grapes such as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Canaiolo, Trebbiano Toscano, and Malvasia del Chianti.

These wines I find are great to sip year round, and I certainly enjoyed the wines with beautiful views of Tuscany, however, with the fall coming I find I enjoy Castello di Albola reds so much more. They pair beautifully with prime rib, short ribs, Osso Bucco, and even roasted root vegetables!

The winery and estate are absolutely stunning. After our rounds of wine tasting, we enjoyed a nice lunch homemade by the wonderful chefs of the winery. The selection of vegetable quiches, cheeses, fried ravioli, and charcuterie were the perfect pairings for the wines. Following the lunch was a trip around the gardens, exploring all the beautiful vineyard views, rose bushes, and greenery. It was after some exploration where we then made our way down into the cellar where I found wines from the 1900’s all the way to today. I love seeing very old wines, and being down in the cellar, trying wines from 1975 with Winemaker Allesandro Gallo was simply a one of a kind experience!

The Castello di Albola wines I had the pleasure of trying during my trip to Tuscany were:

2010 Chianti Classico DOCG

2015 Chianti Classico DOCG

2014 Chianti Classico DOCG

2011 Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva

2006 Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva

2004 Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva

2009 Acciaiolo Toscana IGT

2007 Acciaiolo Toscana IGT

2005 Acciaiolo Toscana IGT

1975 Chianti Classico Toscana IGT

2017 Poggio alle Fate, Chardonnay Toscana IGT

2013 Chianti Classico Grand Selezione

2006 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico

All of the wines we tasted over the course of tastings as well as during lunches and dinners. These wines are fruit focused and terroir-driven with a nice balance between fruit and minerality. My top picks from the list include 2006, 2004, 2010 Chianti Classico’s, as well as the 2009 Acciaiolo Toscana IGT, the 2006 Vin Santo, as well as the 2017 Chardonnay. Overall I was impressed by the winery, and since I am a long time fan of Zonin wines, it was no surprise just how amazing these wines really are. Now that it’s time to prep for fall, the holidays, and everything in between, be sure to check out where you can find Castello di Albola wines!

They are available nationwide as well as online, and they will surely make an impact on your guests during your seasonal entertaining! Always remember, eat what you like and drink what you love. Please pair responsibly!